Forever For Your Memory
by InuYasha Complex
Summary: The Shikon Jewel may have brought hardships, but it gave Kagome the world unbreakable friendships and a love to last a lifetime. But when the Jewel dissappears, Kagome's world dissappears with it. Can she ever get it back?
1. Chapter 1

Forever For Your Memory

By InuYasha Complex

NOTE: Hello, all! InuYasha Complex here! This is my first attempt at an InuYasha fic, and I hope you guys enjoy this here story...And stick by while I finish! If everything goes to plan it's gonna be pretty long. So enjoy! And no I don't own InuYasha. Rumiko Takahashi created it, Yomiuri Productions has dibs, too! XD This takes place along the timeline of about five years, and approximate ages are as follows (And these are just APPROXIMATE!):

InuYasha:

Beginning of story: 18 (If you want to get technical, around 68.)

End of story: 23 (Or 73.)

Kagome:

Beginning: 17

End: 22

Shippo:

Beginning: 7 (I guess...He seems a lot like my cousin, lol.)

End: 12

Sango:

Beginning: 18

End: 23

Miroku:

Beginning: 18

End: 23

Souta:

Beginning: 13

End: 18

Kaede:

Beginning: 59

End: 64

Rin:

Beginning: 10

End: 11

Ok! I will now continue the story...I hope you enjoy!

A cool breeze blew in from a clear lake, a nightingale sang her song as she flew overhead. Kagome finished fixing Shippo's sleeping bag then began preparing her own. It seemed so strange now without the little fox curled up at her side during the night, but Shippo wasn't all that little anymore. He had grown considerably and the sleeping bag he and Kagome had been sharing all this time was beginning to get a little small. Moving into a bag of his own was heartbreaking for both he and Kagome, but necessary all the same. But in her place was a stuffed monkey named Noodle that had been Souta's favorite plaything as a child and would serve as a surrogate sleeping partner for Shippo until he outgrew it.

Sango was nearby in Kaede's hut with Miroku. It was a pleasant surprise when the monk finally got down on his knees and asked for the demon slayer's hand, a picture made even more lovely by the setting sun. If Kirara was excited by the union, no one noticed as the newly mothered feline tended to her three kittens. As with most cats, the father was unknown and never seen by any member of the group, but the kittens were enjoyed anyway. After several rounds of begging, it was Miroku who convinced Sango to keep all three with points that their children would need companions as well. To everyone's surprise, Sango simply laughed and agreed with her fiancée'. The pain of losing Kohaku was still there, lying dormant and everyone knew it was eating away at Sango's will. When the young boy removed the shard himself and lay the bloody jewel in his sister's hand his final words had been, "I love you, sister." Sango had cried, but the worst was yet to come. Miroku had announced that when that time came, he would be there even if Sango lost herself to grief completely.

Sesshomaru had officially made Rin his adopted daughter, making the little girl ecstatic. And instead of calling the dog demon "Lord Sesshomaru", he was now lovingly called "Daddy". He had moved into the private forest castles InuYasha and Sesshomaru's father had built for Sesshomaru's mother. Jaken was still Rin's best friend, servants were brought in, and Rin had a grand room with more toys than one hundred spoiled princesses could ever have. She had elegant kimono and beautiful hair ornaments that any geisha would envy. But the toys didn't matter, and the kimono were too hot and heavy for her. She still loved her old yellow kimono that her new father had gave her when she joined his small traveling group. Her favorite past time was watching Sesshomaru wake up, complete his morning grooming and start his day. At night instead of sleeping in a perfectly prepared Western style bed, she curled up beside Sesshomaru. As of late, the dog demon smiled more, and there was a slight bounce in his step...All had ended well for him, too it seemed.

Then there was InuYasha. Naraku was gone, the Jewel was complete, but Kikyo was also gone. By the light of the completed Shikon Jewel, she gave him a final smile before the souls that gave her life slipped away from her and left the ashes from which she was born from. After her small memorial service with the rest of the group and Kaede, he buried her again with his own hands, but refused to sleep in Kaede's village that night. His excuse to the others had been he's rather sleep outside since it was peaceful now. But to Kagome he had whispered, "I can't bear to see Kaede cry over losing Kikyo again..."

The hanyou was in a tree on the outskirts of the camp, a soft pink glow giving off his location. Kagome sighed and turned to Shippo with a smile. "Hey, why don't you go ahead and go eat dinner? I'm going to go get InuYasha then we'll join you guys."

Shippo grabbed up Noodle and grinned broadly. "Ok! Just hurry back!"

She chuckled and adjusted Shippo's furs. "Ok, now run along."

The fox ran off towards Kaede's, leaving Kagome to face InuYasha. Just what did he plan to do with the Jewel now? Was he going to become a full demon as originally planned, or would he grant Kikyo's wish and become human?

Kagome stood below the thick branches of the tree InuYasha had taken up quarters in and called out to him. "Hey...Want to give me a hand up there?"

Rustling came from above and a green leaf fell free and rode the breeze in it's descent. A red and silver blur shot down from the canopy and to Kagome's side, startling the human girl. InuYasha straightened up and fixed his sad, golden gaze upon her.

He couldn't believe how much she had changed since they first met, how much she had grown. She had lost that cute little girl look a long time ago, and had grown into a beautiful young woman. Instead of a childish wonder, her eyes held an adult's fascination at new things. Awkward lankiness had been replaced by feminine grace as her body had filled out with time. Her legs and arms were marred by tiny scars from wounds past, equally small wrinkles had began to form around her mouth and forehead from all the stress and trauma she had put up with over the journey, with school and numerous demon encounters. The skin on her palms was rough and slightly calloused from handling the bow and arrow so much, and her poor feet were equally in rough shape. But in InuYasha's eyes, the raven haired human couldn't be more lovely. She had her imperfections and her inner demons, she was far from perfect. But even if she was, how boring would their adventures have been? InuYasha only wished he could make her see what he saw when he looked into those deep brown eyes. He wished she could see that burying Kikyo forever had hurt, yes...But that wasn't reason he couldn't stand seeing her now.

"Did you need something?" He questioned, his voice thick with sadness and unshed tears.

Kagome didn't miss the tone, it was one that never did fit the half demon well. The glow from his left hand seemed to intensify in Kagome's presence and InuYasha opened his hand. The Jewel was nestled in his palm, sparkling and glowing as brightly as it had all those years ago.

"What...What are you going to do with it?" Kagome asked, standing closer to him.

InuYasha winced at the question. He knew it would come up sooner or later, but it wasn't the answer that bothered him...It was the final result.

"Myoga told me of another option...Becoming what my old man and Sesshomaru are...Something called a pure demon." He said softly, almost inaudible for Kagome's ears. "A pure demon is stronger than your average demon and has a good heart, or the potential of having one."

Kagome smiled gently, then her heart sank again...Just what was he going to do?

"But I want your input, Kagome. I want you to help me figure out what to do, what would be best." InuYasha added, his voice pleading.

She smiled and took InuYasha's hand into her own. "I want you to do what you feel is best. I'll respect any decision you make, even if you decide to become full demon."

InuYasha looked down at the ground then closed his eyes. He didn't have to say anything for her to understand what was happening to him on the inside. She could look into his eyes and see into his heart and soul. "I want to be a pure demon. I refuse to let myself become a murderous monster, or..." He turned to face her, taking her hands into his. "Become a human to where I can't protect you the way I want to...But"

A crackling aura surrounded InuYasha's palm and bright beams of light shone through his fingers.

"What's happening?!" InuYasha yelled, quickly opening his fist and dropping the Jewel to the ground.

A thin, white jagged line ran down of the middle of the Jewel, splitting it down the middle. The glow evaporated from the Jewel and hovered above the two halves, forming a shimmering figure of a woman. The form sharpened and cleared, blues, reds and whites manifesting into the woman who gave birth to the Shikon Jewel.

Midoriko smiled down at InuYasha and Kagome, her translucent form giving a slight view of the forest behind her. She moved to where she was at eye level with the golden eyed half demon.

"InuYasha...The son of the Great Dog Demon and a lady...Lord Inu no Taisho and Lady Izayoi would be so proud of you." Midoriko said, her voice wispy with echoes and angelic undertones.

She took InuYasha's face between her hands and pressed her lips to his forehead. A warming sensation coursed through InuYasha's body as Midoriko entered him, combining her powers with his own. InuYasha fell to his knees, covered by a thin sheet of cold sweat. His head pounded, his blood rushed through his veins, a sharp intense pain coursed through every nerve. InuYasha's stomach clenched with the pain as the half demon twisted and wriggled on the ground before a terrified Kagome.

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried, reaching out to the half demon with tears pouring from her eyes.

An electrostatic shock racked her hand before she touched him, her slender fingers shaking from the shock of it all. InuYasha ceased his thrashing as the pain subsided with barely manageable aftershocks. He weakly raised his head and looked at Kagome.

Jagged violet markings were on his cheeks, his golden eyes lined by thick black markings. His canines were longer, as were his claws. Kagome kneeled before him, touching the markings carefully.

"Y-your face..." Kagome whispered in awe, tears threatening to pour from her lids once again.

InuYasha looked at her in shock. "What? What's wrong?!"

Kagome laughed and wiped her eyes. "Your wish! Your wish came true, InuYasha!"

But the look on the half demon's face was far from happy. It was a look of sheer hurt and fear. "Kagome...No..."

The girl narrowed her eyes in question. "InuYasha, what is it? What's wrong?" She asked, rising with the half demon as he stood.

InuYasha pulled Kagome into his arms, hugging her tightly. Fear rose in Kagome's stomach, making her sick with worry. "Please tell me what's wrong! Ple-"

The half demon silenced her with his own lips, warm and gentle, cool and rough all in one movement. Kagome's knees buckled at the sudden one-eighty InuYasha's mood did, blushing as she responded to his urgency.

He tasted the salt from her tears, he tasted the remnants of the sweet bean cake she had eaten earlier. He smelled her fear, her sorrow, and the love she had felt for him all this time. It wasn't their first kiss, no, but it felt like it...No, it was better in some ways, but so much worse in others. But this moment couldn't save him from the harsh reality that was about to befall them. He felt Kagome's body began to get lighter and slightly give way and he pulled away from her. InuYasha took in what he could, her chocolate brown eyes, her raven black hair, all the curves and lines, the smells the tastes, then he told her.

"Kagome...I didn't want to make my wish just yet because...Because I wanted to be with you longer...Because I...Because I love you."

Kagome brought her hands to her face and cried. She had waited to her those words...Those words completed her. "InuYasha, I love you too...And I'll always be-" Kagome reached out to touch his hand, then stopped. Her hand was fading.

She gasped and looked at her hands, her arms and feet. She wasn't hallucinating, she was fading away. "InuYasha! InuYasha what's happening to me?!"

InuYasha took her by the shoulders, the only part of her that hadn't begun to fade. "You only came to this world by the power of the sacred Jewel. And now that it's gone you...You can't exist here anymore."

Kagome froze at hearing his words, the tears falling with no plans on stopping. It had all sunk in, and she clung to him like a lost child just returning to the arms of it's mother. "No! I won't leave you! I won't leave you, I won't do it! InuYasha I love you I'll never leave you!" She looked up into his sad golden eyes. "I won't leave you like this..." She sobbed.

InuYasha went to embrace her, Kagome tried to cling to him forever...But it was too late...

Kagome disappeared as quietly from those lands as she had came all that time ago...

FIN

Did you guys like? I will try to update as soon as I can! But with school and stuff...Ugh...But I will try! Please review!!! T.T


	2. Chapter 2

Forever For Your Memory

Chapter Two

-NOTE- Hello:) Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys are the best!

**Mariame:** Thanks for the review! And nope…Shippo be a boy, lol!

**Ms.Puerto Rican**: Thanks for the support! I hope to continue receiving it!

**LinkFangirl01:** Wee! I'm updating! Thanks for the review:)

**Chelboo1992:** Thanks! X3 I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**MidnightThoughts:** Hey! Nice idea, lol. I have a little surprise in mind…Mwahahaha.

**Clippit:** Thanks for the message…And review, lol. Hope to hear from you again!

Hope you guys will keep supporting me, and I hope to see some new readers soon! Much love, and here's chapter two!

The soft smells of detergent and fabric softener of her bed sheets filled Kagome's nostrils as she opened her tear swollen eyes to the morning sun filtering through her window. A week had passed since the absorption of the Shikon Jewel's magic send her back to her own time…Forever.

The Bone Eater's well was no longer there, as if it had never been. Not even a splinter of wood remained to tell of the structure that had once been. The mark on the Sacred Tree where InuYasha was once been had even faded away. It was leaving her; the magic of the world she had once knew and loved was departing like it had never even existed.

For that entire week, she refused to bathe despite her unkempt appearance. The leaves and twigs in her hair, the soil under her nails and on her clothing, the scene of a Feudal sunset burned into her memory, the smell of fresh rain still lingering, and the taste of a golden eyed hanyou…Was all the magic she had left.

Sango wiped her brow as she wrapped up Miroku and InuYasha's lunch. No one had been quite the same since Kagome left, it showed in their daily activities. Shippo lived next door to Miroku and Sango with Kaede and assisted the elderly woman with her chores. Sango kept the house and helped Kaede as a midwife's apprentice. Miroku and InuYasha had taken the jobs of fishermen and were bringing in good money. They worked hard to hold down the fort, and keep their minds off of their time traveling companion.

The former Demon Slayer made her way towards the river while dodging children and chickens alike. She found her husband and friend in the river pulling in a fresh catch while Kirara and her kittens ate on the small fry that Miroku tossed to them on the bank.

"InuYasha, Miroku! Lunch time!" Sango called.

Miroku grinned broadly and headed towards Sango, while InuYasha was left to sort the fish into the wicker baskets. Once the smelly job was complete he joined the couple on the river bank.

"Another job well done." Miroku said through a mouthful of plum and rice. Sango glared at her husband and thwacked him behind his ear. "Another job well done for InuYasha you mean."

Miroku chuckled nervously and continued eating his lunch. Sango sighed sadly as she watched InuYasha eat. He had spoken little to the others since Kagome left, and a smile hadn't even so much as came across his mind. The hanyou had lost a lot of weight, and was eating only enough to keep him going.

"InuYasha, would you like some tea?" Sango asked as she poured the steaming brown fluid into an earthenware cup.

"Yeah…Thanks." He replied quietly, taking the cup from Miroku as it was passed down.

Miroku waited until InuYasha had eaten and returned to the nets before turning to his wife. He had watched his friend suffer so much this past week; his sleep had been restless with a hellish nightmare awaiting him every time he closed his eyes. When the locket Kagome gave him shimmered in the sun, he took it and gave it to Sango…He couldn't take remembering right now.

"How long do you think it will take him to get over it?" Miroku asked, wrapping his arm around Sango's waist.

The dark haired female sighed and looked out over the water. She knew InuYasha could never get over losing Kagome. It was probably worse for him knowing that she was somewhere alive and he couldn't reach her. She there, and he couldn't have her. "A lifetime." Sango finally answered.

That night InuYasha lay awake on his futon. The sounds of Sango and Miroku's steady breathing and the sounds of a nocturnal bird were amplified by the silence that blanketed the small village. Sighing, he lifted himself from the futon; a task that had seemed to be harder of late, and exited the hut.

His peripheral vision caught a hint of green in a corner of the hut. InuYasha turned and couldn't quite make out what it was from it's place behind baskets of radishes and carrots and the days laundry. He carefully moved the baskets, and almost fainted from what the object revealed itself to be.

One of Kagome's school uniform tops had been left behind, a testament that the girl's Feudal fairy tale had indeed been a reality. He took the garment outside with him and leapt up into his favorite tree. Sobbing, he buried his nose into the fabric and inhaled the lost aroma. He relished the scent of her shampoo and the small bar of blue soap that she always used, the smells of her mother's cooking; her grandfather's many "antique" "authentic" items; her little brother's potato chips and the sting of perspiration from his soccer games, and all the other strange yet beautifully unique scents from her world.

"I will be with you again…Just wait for me." InuYasha cried to himself, burying his face into her shirt and letting the tears flow free.

Just how long could _he _wait though? The demon blood in his veins would keep him alive for a long time, but could he live long enough until Kagome's time came to him? Or were they destined to meet in the afterlife?

As Amaterasu wove her golden ribbons into the predawn sky, InuYasha looked up at the flaming sphere peeking up over the tree tops. She was living under that same sun, and sleeping under the same mysterious moon, and gazing at the same falling stars as he was…That alone was enough to keep him going until he saw her again, in this world or the next.

**FIN!**

Um…Was it ok? O.o I hope you guys enjoyed! Please review!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Forever For Your Memory**

**Chapter Three**

**By **InuYasha Complex

**NOTE:** Hello, all! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, but hopefully I can make up for it, ne? There's a time jump here, but nothing too major. And, yes, there will be some music lyrics in here that I LOVE and decided to toss in there. It adds to ze story! The italics represent a flashback. And has anyone noticed that on Sesshomaru has like, eleven different profiles? Well, I'll shut up and go on with the story!

Kagome could still faintly remember the day she got up, showered, and went to school for the first time in ten days. She could remember high school graduation like it was yesterday, as well as her freshman year of college. Now she was a sophomore, studying Japanese history and mythology at the local university.

She still remembered the Feudal Era, though she tried everyday to forget it and move on. She sat in her heartache for almost a year before she decided to put InuYasha's world behind her, and move forward in her own.

During class one day, Kagome began to spill her memories onto a sheet of notebook paper, which soon turned into two sheets, then three, five…

_"Ms. Higurashi? The bell rang three minutes ago."_

_Kagome looked up at her teacher apologetically. "I'm sorry, Mr. Takashi. I guess I'm a little distracted today." She quickly began to gather up her notebook and mythology book. In her haste she dropped the first sheet of her written trip down memory lane. Mr. Takashi picked up the paper and began reading it, while Kagome obliviously hurried towards the door._

_"Wait, Kagome. Come back here for a second." Mr. Takashi called, motioning for the girl._

_Kagome approached her teacher confused, and then saw the paper in his hand with her daydreaming chicken scratch. "Oh, that…Sir, I'm very sorry-"_

_"Do you have any intention of finishing this, Ms. Higurashi?" _

_Kagome arched a dark eyebrow. "Finishing what, sir?"_

_"This wonderful story! I'm especially impressed with the use of historical and mythological figures. If you are considering a novel here, I could introduce you to a friend of mine who is a publisher."_

_Kagome looked at the paper in her teacher's hands and smiled. She had been blessed to experience the Feudal Era first hand, why not share her story with others? Of course, all it would appear to be to them was a story created by college sophomore with a history major. "I would like that, Mr. Takashi."_

_The man smiled broadly and shook Kagome's hand. "That's terrific! And what do you call this, Kagome?"_

_Kagome smiled, and gave it the only name it could possibly bear. "A Feudal Fairy Tale."_

Now it was November, nearly a year since Mr. Takashi introduced her to an American publisher named Mrs. Carla Jacobs and exactly seven months since she had completed 'A Feudal Fairy Tale'.

It wasn't extremely long, going on for an average two hundred eighteen pages. But in those pages contained tales of battles with unspeakable evil, peerless beauty, unforgettable people, and love lost. She had given everyone their names, but changed her place in the story to simply 'the reincarnation of the once great priestess Kikyo' or 'the young woman'. Her part in the tale would have to remain blank for the imaginations of her readers to fill in.

The readers had done just that after the book was releases on campus for a test run; all fifteen hundred student readers had filled her in with some great heroine before the week ended. Before the end of the month, Kagome's book had sold an impressive four thousand copies. Two months later, the number had more than doubled to 10,419 copies.

"It's an impressive number sold for the university, Ms. Higurashi. Some students are even mailing copies to their families." Mrs. Jacobs whispered as Kagome sat in the university library signing copies of the book.

"They're _mailing it off_? You can't be serious!" Kagome looked up at the auburn haired American who simply chuckled.

"I assure you, I'm quiet serious. You shouldn't be surprised that a book that presents Japanese legends and history in fairy tale form is so popular. To you Japanese, history and legends are everything, are they not?"

Kagome smiled and signed the inside cover of yet another book. "Just like any other culture, Mrs. Jacobs. But let's just say that…That this tale holds a very special place in my heart."

Carla knelt down beside Kagome as the last of the fans dispersed. "Was it a special story that you and an old flame enjoyed, or something?"

The student stood, picking up her jacket from the back of the chair that she had just vacated. "I suppose it could be put that way."

Carla clapped her hands together. "Oh now I get it!" Kagome turned to her horrified. _"No way...She couldn't have figured it out!" _She thought, trying to think of a cover up while panicking at the same time.

"You based the main male character off of him, didn't you? That InuYasha fellow!" The publisher said with a triumphant tone, placing her hands on her hips proudly.

Kagome chuckled in relief. "Yes I did, actually." Carla sighed and picked up her own coat and suitcase. "He must have been a rough fellow, huh?"

Kagome smirked to herself. "You have no idea."

InuYasha awoke with a start, the morning rays peeking through the window of his small house on the outskirts of the village. He did his morning stretches before dressing in his work clothes that lay atop the fire rat robe that now become his attire for visiting his brother in the Western Palace.

It was the same routine every morning; stretches, dress, breakfast, and work in the garden. Then after lunch, he helped Miroku deliver fish to the nearby villages and buy whatever was needed with their pay. When they returned, there was a hot meal waiting that was sometimes followed by sweet dumplings. He then went home and tried to sleep with aching muscles and a sore back.

InuYasha's health had somewhat declined since Kagome left. His energy had decreased drastically, he was almost constantly burdened by muscle cramps and other ailments, and a boar hunting trip gone wrong had left him with a limp that he tried desperately to hide. His physique might have changed, but his stubbornness and pride was still very much intact.

The silver haired male had a special routine at night; he would remove a small box from a shelf, remove the lid, and blow the dust off of the past…Or rather, the future.

Inside was the locket Kagome had given him with their pictures in it, some of her hair bows, pictures she had taken of their traveling motley crew, and lipstick kisses she had left him on pieces of paper.

It hurt to look back, gods how it pained him to look and see her face only to know he would never see, hear, smell, taste, or feel her again. But when he closed the box, he didn't put it back on the shelf.

InuYasha took the shovel by the doorway and went outside towards Kikyo's grave. He buried the box beside Kikyo, marking it with a simple bouquet of buttercups.

"Here's to you, Kagome..." InuYasha whispered, kissing his fingertips and pressing it to the earth. He wiped away the tears and headed back home, for with the morning came the start of a new life…Without Kagome.

"Congratulations on selling a million copies, Kagome!" Hojo cheered over the voices of Kagome's mother, grandfather, Souta, Buyo's mewing, and Carla's excessively loud outbursts.

Kagome laughed and held up her glass. "Thank you Hojo, Mom, Grandpa, and Souta. Thank you all so much." She then noticed her family giving her mischievous looks, even the cat looked like he knew something that his female master didn't. "Uh oh…What is it you guys?"

Hojo blushed and looked down at his hands before fumbling in his pockets. "Um…Kagome?"

The raven haired twenty year old looked over at Hojo, then stuttered as he knelt before her on one knee. "Ho-Hojo…Wh-what are you-"

"I know we've only been dating for a year, but Kagome I have known you for so much longer. I want to spend the rest of my life with you…"He held out a small black box, opening it to reveal a ring that only Hojo's family could afford. It was far to big and too elegant for her tastes, but she couldn't possibly say anything…What in the hell was she going to do?

"Kagome Higurashi, will you marry me?"

She couldn't! InuYasha was waiting for her, he was waiting for her in…In a world she would never see again…She was waiting on a love that had died the night she was pulled back into her world. There wasn't an "InuYasha and Kagome" now…There was only a "Kagome" and a "silver haired demon in the Feudal Era" that was part of her book, part of a fairy tale, part of a life that she used to lead.

"Yes, Hojo. I will."

**END! Don't worry, don't worry! Not all is as it seems. Mwahahaha.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Forever For Your Memory**

**Chapter Four**

**By InuYasha Complex**

**NOTE:** Thank you all for your reviews! But fear not, my dear readers! This is not a KagomexHojo fic, I promise! It's simply part of the story line. To Midnight Thoughts, thanks for the helpful hint! Much love! BE WARNED! This chapter contains suggestive themes. So to those who hate anything that even remotely hints to sexual activities, DON'T READ:) Well, on with the story!

She had gone through the wedding like she was supposed to. She blushed, giggled, smiled, and said all of the right things. But when they reached the hot springs resort where her and Hojo were to spend their honeymoon, Kagome began to realize what a terrible mistake she had made.

Tucked inside the white folds of her wedding kimono was a picture of her and InuYasha, embracing each other underneath the Sacred Tree. During the ceremony, it wasn't Hojo she had consumed the sacred sake with, bowed to their family and friends with, or bound herself in matrimony with a kiss. It wasn't Hojo she saw, but the silver haired, golden-eyed love in a world so close, yet so far away. And just before she walked down the aisle, Kagome removed the picture and stared into the memory they had made. "I'll pretend it's you." She whispered, holding back the tears and tucking the picture away just as the doors opened to reveal her to the audience's eyes.

She held that very picture as she sat in the bathroom, dressed in the pale lavender silk of the nightgown Carla had gave her as a wedding present. She knew what was about to happen, it happened on everyone's wedding night…

"Kagome? Are you alright in there, honey?" The thick wooden door muffled Hojo's voice, but to Kagome it was amplified by her anxiety and guilt.

"I'm fine, Hojo. I'll be out in a second." With one final glance, Kagome clutched the picture to her chest tightly. "I'll pretend it's you…" She whispered once again to the photo.

She hid the picture under the clothes in her suitcase, and stepped into the bedroom. Hojo smiled and cupped her face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers. She closed her eyes, a single tear sliding down her cheek. She felt his hands slide from her face and she opened her eyes. Instead of Hojo, it was him…Gold melting into dark, warm honey as his hands slipped a strap of her nightgown from her shoulders, his claws scrapping her bare skin. Kagome dipped her hands into his long, silver hair as he kissed her deeply, carrying her to the waiting bed.

He took her back into his world where she was surrounded by the scent of the pure, untainted forests she missed so much. He lay her under a weeping cherry tree; it's delicate petals falling to blanket them. It was him that made her body sing, it was him that made her a woman…but once her body had shivered a final time, the gold and silver faded away with the smells of pure earth and delicate blossoms. Now there was only Hojo's weight and her guilty conscience.

"Kagome, are you…Ok?" Hojo asked, turning his face towards her slightly.

All she could do is nod and lay in silence. After a few minutes, Hojo began to snore lightly, and Kagome began to cry.

_**In the Feudal Era...**_

"Unca 'Yasha!" Umeko and Taeko called at the demon while he tended his garden.

Miroku was carrying the twin three-year-olds while Sango walked beside him carrying a covered basket. They were lovely little girls with beautifully strong features like there mother with deep blue eyes like their father.

"Hey you two!" InuYasha called back, grabbing his walking stick and making his way towards the approaching family. He kissed each girl on the head and looked at their parents then frowned.

Miroku and Sango looked troubled; more troubled than they had looked in years. "InuYasha, we have something that you need to hear." Sango said calmly, clutching the handle of the basket.

"Ok, what is it?" He stood as straight as possible with keeping weight off of his limp.

"It's not safe to talk out here, let's go inside." Miroku directed, adjusting his children on his hips.

The group went inside and sat around the fire while the girls played with Shippo's old toys that InuYasha had lying around for them.

"So what's so important that you couldn't tell me what is was outside?" InuYasha asked as he poked at the fading embers.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other, then the former demon slayer removed the cover from the basket. A familiar pink glow peeked from between Sango's hand, and when she opened her hand InuYasha felt faint. For in her palm sat the Shikon Jewel, glowing faintly just as the three of them remembered.

"Where in the seven hells did you get that?!" InuYasha hissed, quickly snatching the Jewel from Sango and covering it up again.

"The priestess from a shrine in one of the surrounding regions expelled this from her side during a purification ceremony. The head priest sent the Jewel to Kaede, who gave it to us."

InuYasha looked from the basket, to his friends, then back to the basket. What does this mean?"

Miroku sipped his tea and looked at InuYasha. "It means that…The former carrier of the Shikon Jewel is dying, because the time for the new carrier to purify and protect it as come."

InuYasha's eyes widened in horror. "But, Kagome was the carrier of Shikon Jewel! That means Kagome is dying?!"

Tears formed in Sango's eyes, and she barely managed to clap a hand over her mouth before a cry escaped. Miroku embraced her and turned to InuYasha. "I'm sorry, InuYasha…"

InuYasha slammed a fist down on the wooden floors of his home, his tears dropping to the floor. "I…I have to go see her, Miroku. I want to say goodbye." He reached for the basket, but Miroku took his hand.

"If you go to her, you know there is nothing you can do to save her." Miroku said. "The best thing you can do is comfort her for the time she has left." With that, he removed the Jewel from the basket and placed it in InuYasha's hand.

With a painful wince, InuYasha stood up as fast as his limp would allow and grabbed his walking stick. He rushed out the door, terrified that they had found out too late and Kagome was already gone.

"Kagome, I'm coming." He said as he hoisted himself over the well for the first time in years.

_**In Kagome's time...**_

"Kagome? The doctor will see you now." The nurse said, peeping her head into the waiting room.

Kagome stood and grabbed her purse and jacket, walking past sick adults and even sicker children. Lately, she had been losing weight rapidly, been completely exhausted, and she would throw up almost everything she ate. She followed the nurse back into the doctor's office and sat in the firm leather chair in front of the portly doctor's polished oak desk.

"Ah, Kagome. Thank you for coming in today. We have your test results back." The doctor said, pushing his glasses up on his nose and opening a manila folder.

Kagome sighed. "I've caught some nasty flu haven't I?"

The doctor flipped through the files. "Kagome, I'm afraid I have some terrible news."

Kagome frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Terrible news? Doctor, what's wrong with me?"

The doctor shut the folder and folded his hands on his desk. "Kagome…You have heart cancer."

**END! Don't hate me! –dodges flying produce- Poor InuYasha…Poor Kagome…Will anything get better? Keep reading to find out!**

**Read about heart cancer here: **


	5. Chapter 5

**Forever For Your Memory**

**Chapter Five**

**By InuYasha Complex**

**NOTE: **Thank you to all my reviewers! I luf you guys! No, not "love"! Luf! Luf is cooler and soo much better! This story is going to turn out a lot different than most are thinking, lol. But I hope you guys are still enjoying it! It was almost impossible to find anything about heart cancer, since it is so rare, so I'm piecing together whatever I find. So if you know something different, PLEASE let me know! Well, on with chapter five!

Kagome moved through the rainy Tokyo streets, her umbrella hanging limply at her side. _"Cancer…I have cancer…"_ The words kept repeating over and over inside her head. Perhaps she would have felt a little bit better if there were more options to treat it.

The tumor was located in too vital a place for surgery, and both chemotherapy and radiation treatments were far too dangerous. So he sent her home with a hug and sympathetic look. "Please, take care, Kagome. And come back if you need anything else."

She didn't need medical treatment, she didn't need the sympathy, she didn't need the tears that would be shed when her family found out…Kagome needed a miracle.

Her favorite café was open, and looked more warm and inviting than the walk home did, so she stepped inside and took her usual seat at the end of the row next to the window. The waitress gave her a smile then quickly wrote down her order of her favorite dumplings and mixed berry tea. Kagome stared out at the rainy city, watching the people hurry by with their umbrellas.

Rain drops slid down the pane, chasing each other in a frantic race down the slick surface. The waitress brought Kagome's order then left with another smile. She merely nibbled at the dumplings and sipped her tea before paying and leaving as quietly as she came.

Her and Hojo's home was on the other side of town, but the Higurashi shrine was nearby and would offer more comfort than an empty house that smelt of health food and cleaners. With a sad sigh, Kagome made her way to her childhood home.

**_With InuYasha..._**

InuYasha threw the walking stick up and over the side of the well, then sighed. "Haven't done this in a while…" With a deep breath, InuYasha leapt up over the edge with surprising ease.

He picked up his walking stick and stood inside the small shrine. It was getting harder and harder to believe that he was finally back. The sounds were the same, but the smells were somewhat different. There was the smell of torn up grass and dirt that Souta always seemed to carry, the strange smells of different medicines and antiques from Kagome's grandfather, and the delicious smells of her mother's cooking. But there was one essential missing that would have made his trip back as happy as it should've been. He couldn't pick up Kagome's scent at all. _"Gods, I'm too late…" _He panicked at the thought, a sick feeling arising in the pit of his stomach.

He leapt up to her window and pushed it open, and a wonderful lost aroma washed over him. Her pink sheets were still on her bed, her desk was as neat as ever…But it was _too _neat. The scent was also faint…She hadn't been in that room in quite a while.

He climbed down from the window and began looking around like a child in a natural history museum. He picked up her old yellow book bag and chuckled at all the wonderfully bizarre memories it held, then carefully put it back where it was. He stepped out of her room and into the hallway where an old dresser sat, now covered with picture frames. InuYasha picked one of the frames up and frowned at what he saw.

Kagome was blushing and smiling, dressed in a white wedding kimono while that idiot Hojo kissed her on the cheek…And he was dressed in traditional wedding clothes as well.

"They married almost ten months ago…But I don't think she ever gave up on you."

InuYasha whipped around to face Mrs. Higurashi, who had the same warm smile on her face that she always had. "Mrs. Higurashi…"

"It's been a while, InuYasha." She said, wrapping InuYasha in a warm hug. "How have you been?"

He smiled down at Kagome's mother. Someone could be having the worst day of their lives, and that woman's smile would just brighten the day…Well, it was that was for InuYasha at least.

"I'm doing okay, Mrs. Higurashi." He replied, trying his best to return the smile.

But the older woman narrowed her eyes slightly and smirked. "There's nothing fine about you, InuYasha. Not once in all the times that you came to get Kagome did you call me Mrs. Higurashi." She nodded towards the picture of Kagome and Hojo on their wedding day. "Plus the look you had on your face when you saw that picture showed just how not okay you really are."

InuYasha's golden eyes widened in shock. Geez, that woman didn't miss a thing, did she? Her face softened in understanding and she took the frame from the demon's hand.

"Kagome kept a picture of the two of you in her kimono during the wedding. She tried to hide it, but I caught a glimpse of it just before she walked down the aisle." Her motherly brown eyes skimmed over InuYasha's face and she took his hand. "Come sit down and have some tea with me. I want to show you something."

Mrs. Higurashi lead InuYasha into the kitchen and began to prepare tea. She placed the kettle on the stove, then opened up a drawer and removed a book. "Kagome wrote this before her and Hojo got married. It was number 54 on the top 100 best sellers list last month and it's still climbing." She handed the text to InuYasha, who in turn stared at the front cover in confusion. "InuYasha, can you not read?"

He shook his head in embarrassment and looked back down at the book. "Kagome was trying to teach me but…We stayed so busy we never really got the chance."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and sat down beside him. "It's ok, dear. Here, let me read it to you." She took the book back and sighed in contentment. "It's called 'A Feudal Fairy Tale'. It's about Kagome's adventure's in your world. All of the good times and the bad, all of her friends," She looked over at InuYasha and smiled. "and her love for you." She opened the cover and read the acknowledgements. "To all the wonderful people who made this possible, and to the silver haired love of the heroine's life."

InuYasha looked up at her mother. "Is she meaning…Me?" Mrs. Higurashi nodded, then began to read. "It was the day of my fifteenth birthday…"

**_With Kagome..._**

Kagome climbed the stone steps of the Higurashi shrine, already tired from the ascension that she once was able to sprint up and down with no problem. But with her sickness, it had slowly begun to drain everything she had. She was twenty years old, yet at that point she felt so much older.

She finally made it to the front door of her house, her face the same sick pale color it had been for the past two weeks. "Mom? We need to talk." She announced as she entered the house and slipped off her shoes.

Her mom came into the living room smiling, but something was different about this smile. "Mom, what are you…" Then she saw him.

He came limping into the living room, looking like the many illustrations that had portrayed him within the pages of her novel. "Inu…InuYasha…"

"Kagome…"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and backed out of the room quietly, slipping out of the back door. Kagome sunk to her knees with fatigue and shock, trying to take in everything about the demon at once. He made his way over to her and slowly knelt down beside her. She noticed the walking stick and her face twisted in concern. "InuYasha…What happened to you?"

It was so painful watching the proud demon act so weak and vulnerable, watching his every step just so he didn't fall on his face.

"I was careless on a hunt. A boar attacked me and messed up my leg…It was all Kaede could do to keep me from dying from the infection that set in, but it left me with this limp." He cupped her face in his hands. "But Kagome…What about you? Are you-"

"I'm sick, InuYasha, I'm hurting…" She answered before she could finish. It was his turn to frown up.

"Where, Kagome?" He asked.

She wanted to tell him, she really did…But she couldn't find it in her heart to tell him right now. So she took her hand and placed it over her heart as tears spilled from her eyes. God, she couldn't believe he was believe that she was already married… Couldn't believe they would never have another chance.

"Right here, InuYasha…Right here…" She sobbed, her hand still over her heart.

InuYasha's golden eyes darkened, and he leaned in close enough that she could smell the wild on him. "I can fix that…" He murmured, closing the gap with a crushing kiss that she had craved for three years…

**END! **Soooo? What did ya'll think? Hey, I'm from Georgia I can say ya'll! XD My poor cat Wee Man was bitten by a snake. T.T He looks so pitiful! He's limping around and can't even jump up to his favorite snuggle spot on my bed. His brother, Steve-O, is probably more depressed than me. Poor kitties…Well, tell me what ya'll thought! See ya next time!


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